PLANICA. Perttu Hyvärinen approaches the ski stadium and the third change of the men’s relay. The anchor of the Finnish team, who turned 20 just a couple of weeks ago Niko Anttola has arrived in the exchange area as the first Norwegian Johannes Hösflot Kläbon following behind.
Anttola glances quickly as Hyvärinen skis in front of the main grandstand and sets off for the last section, the sprint hill. After that, he will only focus on his future task: to bring Finland to the finish line as a medal country, for the first time since the 2009 World Championships in Liberec.
The head coach Teemu Pasanen had thought about different options for a relay team with the rest of the coaching team. The tactic was simple: the traditional sections had to strike and eliminate as many teams as possible from the medal fight. Two tough men were equally found for the sections of Vapaa.
Hyvärinen lets Anttola go and falls to the ground herself for a moment to gasp for oxygen. After that, he gets up and throws his fist in the air towards the main stand. Next, the Finnish spectators in the audience near the exchange area get their share. Even before he leaves the area, Hyvärinen goes to help the skis go to Sweden William Poromaan from the legs.
Ristomatti Hakola kept Finland with the top group on the opening leg. Only Norway escaped.
Iivo Niskanen ran away from the others in the second leg and brought Finland to the exchange in second place.
Perttu Hyvärinen let Niko Anttola go about half a minute ahead of the third team.
Hyvärinen vented furiously after his part.
When Niko Anttola arrives in front of the main stand for the last time, the rest of the Finnish team shouts and cheers for their cold-nerved anchor on the side of the track. Pasanen dares to vent, a little, only when Anttola arrived from the hill to the final straight, because the experienced coach knows that anything can happen before the skier is at the finish line.
– It went according to the script, Pasanen says in the media area after the message with a relieved smile on his lips and assures that he was not nervous about putting the young man in the toughest place of all.
– What I’ve been following the man here now, yes, the credit was tough. He’s in such great shape that I thought he could pull this off.
Anttola also fans when he crosses the finish line second. However, the finger-in-the-head gesture that was seen a month earlier at the Junior World Championships is not seen.
– The finger is raised when there is a victory, Anttola says calmly.
This is how teammates commented on Niko Anttola
– Niko, take that cell phone, when you’re such a young man, Cross mat Hakola says and gets Iivo Niskanen and according to Perttu Hyvärinen, when Urheilu offers the message four the opportunity to send greetings to Finland.
– I wont take! Anttola says so emphatically that there is no ambiguity about the matter and Hakola picks up the phone.
The “Youth chain” or the 31-year-olds Hakola, Niskanen and Hyvärinen laugh in good spirits and talk bubbles back and forth. Anttola watches the situation from the sidelines in a calm state, and only from time to time a smile might cross his lips.
Hakola characterizes the new star of the Finnish team as a sharp and reliable guy.
Niskanen and Hyvärinen have known each other for more than a decade, since the Junior national team, Hakolan also many years ago. Niskanen reminds that they have only known Anttola for about a week.
– That was a really good test. A good start, Niskanen says and nods his head towards the anchor.
– Interesting to see, but this is a good basis for making efforts.
Niskanen assures that the team did not put too much pressure on Anttola, but that he was allowed to go into traffic with an open mind.
– These jobs have been done here since 2014, and not once has a medal been received. For us, it’s only positive to leave the stadium other than disappointed, Niskanen laughs.
Teemu Pasanen also admits that now he feels better. The medal has been talked about ever since he has been in the coaching team and every year it has been chased. It has always been possible, but never once did the possibilities materialize.
Until now, perhaps in the last possible place in the youth chain, really winged by the promise of a young future. Pasanen freely praises the team’s newcomer, his coolness and calmness.
– That’s how we have a messenger for many years in these messes, Pasanen assures.
Finland’s new skiing hero is like an iceman
Foreigners like to describe Finnish athletes as ice men because of their calmness, unsmiling nature and iron nerves.
The most famous Finnish iceman is probably a former F1 driver Kimi Raikkonen. For Niko Anttola, the iceman title may not even be enough.
The young man stands a little apart from the rest of the trio, and he does not participate in the revelry in the same way. He answers questions when asked, but otherwise stays on the sidelines.
The last 24 hours have been unique.
– There have been many different phases. I was quite thoughtful before the race, but I was able to keep my head together before and during the race. I am satisfied, he says calmly.
Before this winter, Niko Anttola’s name was known to people in the sport, but the junior world championship and the World Championship silver, achieved at the turn of January and February, brought him to greater awareness. But when the composition of the men’s relay team was announced on Thursday, Niko Anttola’s name was known to almost all Finns who follow sports.
Anttola takes a calm approach to this as well. He doesn’t think the attention will change things terribly. He only emphasizes that he worked hard to be successful in such big competitions, and the pressure from the rest of the team didn’t change that.
– When you are Finland’s anchor in a prestigious race relay, there is always pressure.
At this point, there are bubbles under the surface. Niko Anttola just before his anchoring part.
A medal is starting to look certain. Niko Anttola’s steady pace is enough against others.
The 14-year wait is over! Niko Anttola brings Finland to the finish line in second place.
Anttola did not flinch in the media exam
The medalist’s interview in front of the international media lasts exactly one question and that too is addressed to Ristomatti Hakola. Confused, Hakola tells Niko Anttola, who is sitting next to him, that that’s it and he’s free to go.
However, the Finnish media does not let its new hero go so easily yet, but the new situation does not make Anttola startled. In his calm manner, he answers questions, then apply them to meme pictures spread on Instagram, from other skiers, such as Norway’s From Hans Christer Holund to compliments or comparisons with other skiers.
– Of course it’s great. I have tried to work hard for this sport so that I could improve. It’s great that I might have done some right things, Anttola says to Holundi’s praise.
Anttola has been compared to Iivo Niskasen once, if at all, and he is expected to be a success like Niskanen. Bringing up the comparison does not cause a reaction in Anttola, although it is difficult to read his expressions behind the face mask.
– That’s the media’s way of working. It doesn’t bother me, he says and states that he doesn’t read every article that is written about him.
Winning the World Cup silver in men’s relay skiing as the youngest Finnish anchor is an achievement that would make many athletes dance on tables if necessary, but not Niko Anttola.
Bubbles inside though?
– Yes, a little. It’s a pretty great feeling, says Anttola.